I have to have a strong mental attitude. Unfortunately, the feeling of being awake does not last but a few hours. Find out more about stimulants and ME/CFS/FM. A sick person. But I call Provigil my 'stay alive' pill. If I decide to do more things, then I suffer, but at least it’s a choice, unlike before, during two years of daily agony. I keep away from negativity and that means not listening to the news, not reading newspapers and eliminating friends who are negative from my life. I can actually get up in the morning again. The best drugs for me are Wellbutrin XL and Concerta. Automatic preauthorization should be just as dangerous and just as denounced. I have been using it for about 9 months now with only one 'episode' where I had a viral infection and anyone knows that illness makes CFS/FM worse. Homeopathy is an ongoing management tool and is so extensive in options, you need to see what works for you, and use it on a regular basis. Slight side effect of nausea similar to morning sickness for about 3 hours after taking is well worth the benefit”. If I do more, I am punished by my chronic fatigue syndrome. I think it’s also lowered the pain a bit and helped with my memory issues, which were extremely bad, as I did not know where I was, previously. Wish it helped me more but the side effects for me aren't great.”, “My experience with Modafinil was tough. It would be great to be prescribed more of this, but there is a chance of abuse. I've been on modafinil for a month with NO CHANGE at all. my school wanted me to take it , when I started but it just went down , I was depressed, stopped eating and I would kill myself . Of course, having ADHD helped keep me full of energy. Currently, I am free from pain and extreme weakness most of the time, but my activities (working, staying with friends, household, exercise) are really limited. On days where my fatigue is exacerbated, I avoid taking it as it leads to a huge headache for me. I even took Xanax which didn't even help. I am able to be productive during the day (though I am still very tired at night). My life is falling apart my partner does not understand how hard this is for me and is constantly making me feel guilty. The information found on Health Rising is mostly put together by people with ME/CFS and/or FM. I wonder if my reaction was to the sponge-like mechanism or methylphenidate itself. I normally sleep a full 8 to 9 hours at night and take a nap every afternoon. Some days are a struggle and society does not seem to accept this as a real illness. I don't see the "addictive" tendency in the use of this medication either like the medicine information mentions... there is no "warm fuzzy feeling" or altered mental state for me. Doc must write excessive daytime sleepiness for insurance to pay. The next several years got better, with the bouts lasting less time (6 months, then 4 months, then 1 month at a time), and I eventually began to know when a bout was going to hit. This being said, when I'm healthy, I'm healthy and I remain an active and competitive athlete. When taken correctly the risk of addiction is reportedly very low but taking large doses of stimulants over a long period of time can cause addiction. If I ignore the symptoms and do not rest for hours, even days, I get flu symptoms the next day. Amphetamines have been used in the past to elevate mood, reduce feelings of fatigue and increase alertness, concentration and motivation. I've had CFS for 12 years now, and it's worse, not better. I just have to remember not to push it. I pretend I am OK on the outside. I had more pep before I started taking it!”, Concerta (methylphenidate): “I was prescribed Concerta to offset the drowsiness from the Abilify I take in conjunction with Lexapro. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by on this page is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. I exercise every day I can on a graded level; yoga and walking or cycling or swimming.